Various advances in semiconductor manufacturing technology, digital systems architecture, and software development have made possible the widespread acceptance and deployment of wireless communication systems such cellular telephone networks, sometimes referred to as mobile telephone networks.
Although there has been significant build out of cellular telephone network infrastructure, there still exist many areas of poor or unsatisfactory signal coverage. That is, there are areas where signals from a base transceiver station do not reach mobile phones, or where signals from mobile phones do not reach the base transceiver station. Often these areas of poor or unsatisfactory signal coverage exist within houses, small business offices, or automobiles.
Products, such as signal repeaters, have been introduced to extend the coverage areas in which a cellular telephone network can operate. Unfortunately, these signal repeaters typically include features which makes them unable to be portable, such as cables, power cords, multiple boxes, relatively large antennas, and so on.
What is needed are methods and apparatus for a low-cost, portable, wireless repeater module for indoor wireless coverage enhancement of residential, small office, and vehicular spaces.